STATE RAIL PASSENGER GROUP PRAISES IOWA HOUSE FOR PASSING PASSENGER RAIL
BILL; URGES IOWA SENATE TO DO THE SAME

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers (IARP) praises
the Iowa House for overwhelmingly approving HF-559, the Midwest Interstate
Passenger Rail Compact. The bill, which will allow the State of Iowa
to become a member of the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission (MIPRC)
and to participate in planning for a Midwestern network of rail passenger
service, now goes to the Iowa Senate for consideration.

IARP urges the Iowa Senate to pass this important bill.

"We need a balanced transportation system in the State of Iowa and in the
nation. We need good roads; adequate airports; and fast, frequent,
and dependable passenger trains", says IARP Counselor to the President George
Davison, Jr., of Des Moines.

Eight Midwestern states are now members of the MIPRC - Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Ohio. The
Commission is currently developing plans for a 3,000 mile high speed rail
system in the Midwest known as the Midwest Regional Rail Initiative.
More information about the MIPRC is available at www.miprc.org.

IARP urges Iowa residents to contact their State Senator and encourage them
to support the bill to bring the state into the Midwest Interstate Passenger
Rail Commission. IARP thanks Rep. David Jacoby for being the primary
sponsor of the House bill and Sen. Jack Kibbie for being the primary sponsor
of the Senate bill. HF-559 was floor managed by Rep. Paul Bell (D),
Newton.

The Iowa Association of Railroad Passengers is a non-profit and non-partisan
citizens organization advocating modern and efficient rail transportation.
IARP was formed in 1981 to strengthen the voice of the train passenger in
Iowa